Ciphering machine



Sept, 19, 1961 E. J. YEO

CIPHERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 16, 1955 INVENTOR. lbw/91w J Y0 Sept. 119, 1961 E. J. YEO 3,000,486

CIPHERING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. E 5/ EDWARDJ. r50

F/G.4 BY

3,000,486 CWIWRING MACHINE Edward J. Yeo, Norwallr, Cnn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Apr. 16, 1953, Ser. No. 349,144 11 Claims. (Cl. 197-4) This invention concerns a ciphering machine and in particular concerns a keyboard mechanism for indexing the initial setting of the cipher type wheel.

The present invention is designed for use in ciphering machines of the kind in which the type wheel that prints the secondary or cipher sign is first actuated by a selected key on the keyboard into an initial setting and is displaced after each such initial setting operation a number of steps, which is determined in every individual case by mechanical means, into a final setting corresponding with the secondary or cipher sign. The keyboard mechanism of the present invention for indexing the initial setting of the cipher type wheel is characterized chiefly by the fact that the ciphering machine is provided with a setting machanism controlled by a keyboard by which, upon the depression of a key in order to indicate a primary sign, a predetermined initial position is fixed for the type wheel from which position the displacement of the type wheel into final position takes place.

In mechanical type ciphering machines of the prior art any key when operated to depressed position is released immediately and returned to original position as soon as the operators hand is withdrawn from the key. Also in prior art devices the type Wheel immediately after the operation that prints the cipher is free to move.

The mechanism of the present invention marks a departure from such prior art devices by providing means for locking a selected key in depressed position until the entire ciphering operation is complete. Also the mechanism of this invention locks the type wheel into place subsequent to the printing operation until the next key is pressed so that the cipher letter can be read by an operator in the event of a paper or ink shortage.

Another object is to provide a keyboard mechanism for indexing the initial setting of the cipher wheel in a mechanical type ciphering machine.

Another object is to provide a keyboard mechanism for indexing the initial setting of the cipher type Wheel in a mechanical type ciphering machine so that an operated key is locked in depressed position until the entire ciphering operation is complete.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the type described that serves to lock the type wheel into place during the printing operation so that the type wheel is not released again until the next key is pressed. This allows the cipher letter to be read by the operator in the event of a paper or ink shortage.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a three-row keyboard indexing mechanism in accordance with this invention, with some parts in elevation, showing, in particular, the mechanism associated with a key in the middle row of the keyboard,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the clutch coupling between the gear segment and the type wheel,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation in detail of the key lever bail and gear segment shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a view from the top of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 5 shows the release mechanism for the key latch bail and a restoring mechanism for the key.

1 States Patent 0 l 3,000,480 Patented Sept. 19, 1961 ice Indexing mechanism In FIG. 1 there is shown a housing 11 with a keyboard 12 having three rows of keys 13, 14, and 15, mounted for movement up and down in conventional manner. Each key on keyboard 12 is provided with an indexing mechanism; an illustrative key 14 and associated indexing mechanism is shown in FIG. 1. A key lever 16 mounted for angular movement on a pin 17 is connected at one end by a pin 18 with key 14. Key lever 16 between its ends is provided with an offset 21 to which is secured one end of a spring 22 the other end of which is connected to housing 11. The end of key lever 16 remote from pin 18 is connected by a pin 24 to one end of a key link 25 the other end of which is connected by a pin 26 to a key bell lever 28 mounted for angular movement on a pin 29. Key bell lever 28 is provided with a camming tip 31 and with a recessed step 32; the depths of the recessed steps 32 of the series of key bell levers 28 are different for the different key bell levers 28. The end of key bell lever 28 remote from camming tip 31 is provided with a latching notch 35. Also mounted for angular movement on pin 29 supporting key bell lever 28 is a key lever bail 5 1 having an abutment edge 52 engageable by each of the recessed steps 32 of the key bell levers. Mounted for angular movement with key lever bail 51 by arm 108 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and bolt 109 is a gear segment 54.

Key latch mechanism Adjacent key bell lever 28 is a key stop latch 37 one end of which provides an abutment 38 adapted for engagement with camming tip 31 of key bell lever 28. Key stop latch 37 is mounted for angular movement on pin 39. Between its ends key stop latch 37 is provided with an offset 41 to which is attached one end of a spring 42 the other end of which is fixed to housing 11. The end of key stop latch 37 remote from abutment 38 is provided with an abutment 45 and a lip 46; key stop latches 37 are so formed that the lips 46 are located at different radial distances from pin 39. A key latch bail 55 having a detent edge 56 is mounted for angular movement on pin 57 adjacent key bell lever 28. One wing of the key latch bail 55 is formed with a slot 58 that is in registration with a pin 59 secured to the housing 11, for limiting the range of angular movement of the key latch bail to that necessary for its latching function. Adjacent gear segment 54 is a gear that is rotatable about shaft 96 and meshes with gear segment 54.

Upon counterclockwise angular movement of a key bell lever 28, camming tip 31 engages the abutment 38 of the corresponding key stop latch 37 to cause counterclockwise displacement of the latter. Counterclockwise rocking of key stop latch 37 causes its lip 46 to move upwardly into the path of the key lever bail 5-1. When the recessed step 32 of key bell lever 28 engages abutment edge 52 of key lever bail 51, further counterclockwise angular movement of key bell lever 28 causes counterclockwise angular movement therewith of key lever bail 51 into abutting engagement with lip 46 of key stop latch 37. Under these conditions latch 35 of key bell lever 28 has moved upwardly into position so that detent edge 56 of key latch bail 55 engages with notch 35 to latch key bell lever 28 against clockwise return into its original position. counterclockwise movement of key lever bail 51 causes counterclockwise movement of gear segment 54.

Clutch coupling A clutch coupling is shown in FIG. 2 comprising a gear 95 that carries a pin 97. The pin 97 is mounted in the gear 95 in an opening 98 near the periphery of gear 95 which opening is parallel to shaft 96. Pin 97 has a head 99 which projects beyond the surface of the gear 95. Mounted about the same axis of rotation as is gear 95 is a gear 102. The gear 102 has a circular elongated slot 100 provided in the face which is adjacent to gear 95. The pin 97 in gear 95 has its head 99 slidably nesting in the elongated slot 100'in gear 102. Gears 9 and 102 are yieldably linked by means of a torsion spring 103. In the absence of any external force the spring 103- causes the head 99 of pin 97 to engage one end of elongated slot 100 in gear 102. The gear 102 in turn meshes with type wheel gear 104 which is fixed to the type wheel 105 and is rotatable therewith. When the gear segment 54 (FIG. 1) is moved by depression of a key 14 it causes rotation of gear 95 about shaft 96. The gear 95 through pin 97 engages the end of circular elongated slot 100 and causes gear 102 to rotate therewith. When the gear 54 stops rotating as a result ofvcompleting the downward stroke of key 14, gear 102 may continue to rotate in the same direction which results in the tensioning of spring 103. This pin 97 and slot 100 arrangement in the two gears 95 and 102 permits partial rotation of gear 102 and therefore type wheel '105 as a result of rotation of the sector gear 54. Further rotation of the type wheel 105 through the action of other elements will not interfere with gear 95 and thereby sector gear 54 because gear 102 may overtravel with respect to gear 95.

Type wheel latch and release mechanism Mounted for angular movement on pin 61 is a lever 62 one end of which is provided with an abutment pin 63 for engagement with abutment 45 of key stop latch 37. The end of lever 62 remote from abutment pin 63 is provided with a pin 65. Lever 62 near pin 65 is provided with an abutment surface 71. Lever 62 is biased counterclockwise by a spring 69. Mounted for rocking movement on pin 65 is a first pawl 73 on one end of which is provided an abutment pin 75 adapted for engagernent with abutment 71 of lever 62. The end of pawl 73 remote from abutment pin 75 is provided with a lip 77.

Mounted for rotation on a pin 78 is a second pawl 79 one end of which carries an abutment 81 adapted for engagement with lip 77 of first pawl 73. The end of second pawl 79 remote from abutment 81 is provided with a lip 82. Mounted for rotation on a pin 91 is a latch 92 one end of which is provided with an abutment 93 adapted for engagement with lip 82 of second pawl 79.

Key latch reset mechanism The reset mechanism for the key latch bail 55 is shown in FIG. 5. The mechanism comprises a link 112 which connects the key latch bail 55 to a key latch reset lever 113 The key latch reset lever 113 carries a pin 114 which is in the path of movement of the drum drive Sector 115. A cam surface 116 on the drum drive sector 115 engagespin 114 on the key latch reset lever '113 to move the link 112 to the right thereby displacing the key latch bail 55 to the right. When 'the key latch bail 55 is displaced to the right, the latched key bell lever 28 is permitted to move clockwise and the key 14 is thereby permitted to return to its original undepressed position under the bias of spring 22.

Operation In operation when any key of keyboard 12, such as key 14, is depressed it moves key lever 16 counterclockwise about pin 17 against the bias of spring 22 which in turn moves key link 25 to effect counterclockwise movement of the key bell lever 28. As the key bell lever 28 begins to move, its camrning tip 31 is in engagement with the abutment 3-8 and thereby causes the key stop latch 37 to begin to move counterclockwise against the bias of spring 42. The initial counterclockwise movement of key stop latch 37 causes its abutment 45 to move pin 63 of the lever 62 upwardly. As a result the pawl 73 is moved clockwise relative to pin 61 and engages abutment 81 of pawl 79 causing the pawl 79 to move counterclockwise about pin 78 to permit release of latch 92 and to permit the type wheel 105- to rotate. No further ac tion takes place during this initial rotation of the key bell lever 28 since adequate clearance is provided between the cutout portion 32 of the key bell lever 28 and the abutment surface 52 of the key lever bail 51.

After the type wheel 1105 is released for rotation the key bell lever 28 comes into engagement with the key lever b ail 51 at its abutment surface 52 and subsequent rotation of the key bell lever 28 causes the key lever bail 51 to rock counterclockwise until it comes into abutment with lip 46 of key stop latch 37. The lip 46 has been brought into raised position wherein it is in the path of movement of the key lever bail 51 by action of the camming tip 31 of the key bell lever 28 on the abutment 38. The positions of the lip 46 and the recessed step 32 of the key bell lever 28 are so designed that when key 14 is depressed its full amount key lever bail 51 is in abutment with both the lip 46 and the recessed step 3a of the key bell lever 28. The angular movement of the key bell lever 51 results in like angular movement of the. gear segment 54. Gear 95, which is in mesh with gear segment 54, rotates through an angle which is dependant upon the particular one of the keys on the keyboard 12 which was selected and depressed. Rotation of the gear causes like rotation of the gear 102 by means of the pin 97. The gear 102 is in mesh with the type wheel gear 104 and thereby causes the type wheel to rotate through a particular angle dependent upon the particular key which was selected.

When the key bell lever 28 reaches the end of its counterclockwise movement, the notch 35 engages with the detent edge 56 of the key latch bail 55 and is latched thereby. As a result of latching the key bell lever 28, the key 14 is retained in depressed position. The key latch. bail 55 does not release the key bell lever 28 until the end of a cipher printing cycle.

When the key latch bail 55 releases the key bell lever 28, the key 14 moves back to its original undepressed position under the action of spring 22. The key stop latch 37 under the bias of spring 42 maintains its abutment 38 engaged with cam 31. As a result, abutment 45 is returned to the position wherein it permits the lever 62 to be moved by spring 69 into the position shown in FIG. 1 with its pin 63 remaining in engagement with abutment 45. The pin 75 of pawl 73 is maintained in tensioned engagement with abutment surface 7l'of the lever 62. As the pawl 73 moves past the abutment 81 oi. the pawl 79 it cams slightly relative to the lever 62 after which its pin 75 again moves into engagement with abutment surface 71. The pawl 79 is then again engaged with the latch 92.

Obviously many modifications and variations oi the present invention are possible in. the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A ciphering machine comprising a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel; an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel including a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, a key lever bail, and a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail; -a key latch mechanism comprising a plurality of key stop latches actuated by said key bell levers into and out of engagement'with said key lever bail and a key latch bail adapted for movement into and out of engagement with said key bell levers; a clutch coupling between said gear segment and said cipher type wheel including a first gear connected with said gear segment, a pin on said first gear, a second gear coaxial with said first gear, said second gear having an elongated arcuate slot within which; said pin is adapted for sliding movement, said second gear being connected with said cipher type wheel; a type wheel latch and release mechanism comprising a lever actuated by said key stop latch, pawl means actuated'by said lever, and a latch actuated by said pawl means; andv a key latch reset mechanismthat includes a key latch reset lever, a pin on said lever, manually operable drum type wheel; and a key latchmechanism comprising a plurality of key stop latches actuated by said key bell levers into and out of engagement with said key lever bail and a key latch bail adapted for movement into and out of engagement with said key bell levers to prevent said keys from returning to non-actuated position until a ciphering operation is complete.

3. A ciphering machine comprising a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel, and an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, a key lever bail, a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail; and a clutch coupling between said gear segment and said cipher type wheel including a first gear connected with said gear segment, a pin mounted on said first gear, a second gear coaxial with said first gear, said second gear being formed with an elongated arcuate slot within which said pin is adapted for sliding movement, said second gear being connected with said cipher type wheel.

4. A ciphering machine comprising a plurality of keys, at cipher type wheel, an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, at key lever bail, a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail, and a plurality of key stop latches actuated by said key bell levers into and out of engagement with said key lever bail; and a type wheel latch and release mechanism comprising a lever actuated by said key stop latches, pawl means actuated by said lever, and a latch actuated by said pawl means and connected with said cipher type wheel.

5. A ciphering machine comprising a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel, an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected to said keys, at key lever bail, a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail, and means coupling said gear segment and said cipher type wheel; a key latch mechanism comprising a key latch bail actuated by said key bell lever into and out of engagement with said key bell levers, and a key latch reset mechanism that includes a key latch reset lever, a pin on said lever, manually operable drum drive mechanism in said ciphering machine, said pin being adapted for actuation by said drum drive mechanism in said ciphering machine, and a link connecting said key latch reset lever and said key latch bail.

6. In a ciphering machine having a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel, and an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, a key lever bail, a gear segment mounted for rotation With said key lever bail, and means coupling said gear segment and said cipher type Wheel; a key latch mechanism comprising a plurality of key stop latches actuated by said key bell levers into and out of engagement with said key lever bail, and a key latch bail adapted for movement into and out of engagement with said key bell levers to prevent said keys from returning to non-actuated position until a ciphering operation is completed.

7. In a ciphering machine having a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel, and an indexing mechanism for said cipher type Wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, a key lever bail and a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail; a clutch coupling between said cipher type wheel and said gear segment comprising a first gear connected with said gear segment, a pin mounted on said first gear, a second gear mounted coaxially with said first gear, said second gear being formed with an elongated arcuate slot within which said pin is adapted for sliding movement, said second gear being connected in driving engagement with said cipher type wheel.

8. In a ciphering machine having a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel, an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, a key lever bail, a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail, and a plurality of key stop latches actuated by said key bell levers into and out of engagement with said key lever bail; and a type wheel latch and release mechanism comprising a lever actuated by said key stop latches, pawl means actuated by said lever, and a latch actuated by said pawl means and connected with said cipher type wheel.

'9. In a ciphering machine having a plurality of keys, a cipher type wheel, and an indexing mechanism for said cipher type wheel that includes a plurality of key bell levers connected with said keys, a key lever bail, a gear segment mounted for rotation with said key lever bail, and means coupling said gear segment and said cipher type wheel; a key latch mechanism comprising a key latch bail adapted for movement into and out of engagement with said key bell levers; and a key latch reset mechanism that includes a key latch reset lever, manually operable drum drive mechanism in said ciphering machine, a pin on said lever, said pin being adapted for actuation by said drum drive mechanism in said ciphering machine, and a link connecting said key latch reset lever and said key latch bail.

10. In a ciphering machine, a plurality of keys each of which are spring-biased to a first position and manually actuatable to a second position, a lever for each of said keys, said levers being pivotally mounted for arcuate displacement about a common axis, linkage means connecting each of said keys and respective ones of said levers whereby movement of a key causes arcuate displacement of the respective one of said levers, coding means engageable by each of said levers and displaceable thereby, said key operated levers being adapted to displace said coding means to particular positions respectively, a latch bail in the path of each of said levers whereby when a key is moved to its second position the respective lever is latched by the latch bail thereby retaining the actuated key in its second position until released by said latch bail, said latch bail being adapted to be actuated to release a latched key before a succeeding key is actuated.

11. In a ciphering machine, a plurality of keys springbiased to a first position and manually actuatable to a second position, a lever for each of said keys, said levers being pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof for arcuate displacement about a common axis, linkage means connecting each of said keys and respective ones of said levers whereby movement of a key causes arcuate displacement of the respective one of said levers, a bail mounted for arcuate displacement about said axis and adapted to be abutted by one end of each of said levers and movable thereby to particular arcuate positions about said axis, a key stop latch for each of said keys, each of said key stop latches being spring-biased to a first position and being engageable by its respective lever and movable thereby into a second position to define a stop for said bail at the respective particular arcuate position of said bail, a cipher type wheel, latch means normally engaging said cipher type wheel, means between said key stop latches and said latch means and actuatable by said key stop latches to move said latch means to regearan'd formed with an arcuate slot in one face thereof extending most of the way around the second gear, means secured to said first gear and projecting from one face thereof and in registration'with the arcuate slot of said second gear, torsion spring means engaging said gears whereby said projecting means normally engages said 8 1 second gear at the one end of the slot therein whereby when said sector gear is moved by depression of a. key said projecting means drives said secondgear via t-he ejngagement of said projecting means and the-end of'th'e" slot in saidsecond gear to a particular position aim: which said second gear is adapted to be displaced a'rcuately relative to said first gear against the' bias of said torsion spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,170 Hagelin June 24, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 367,424 Great Britain Feb. 18, 1932 

